Two weeks later, about a week and a half before the time that Randidly planned to head back to Shal’s world, a group set out from the now bustling headquarters of Erickson Steel to head towards the Ogre Ridge. It included Randidly, Neveah, Tykes, Dinesh, Tatiana, and also Hank and Thaddeus.
Hank had spent the last few weeks with his family after Alan was forced to retire as the president of the UHF after his heart was removed by Father Foster. It was difficult, Randidly surmised...
2018-08-03 05:03:24 +0000 UTC
View Post
So, I wrote out a very nice speech by hand, because I felt the voice would be more authentic then, and it would come off how I wanted it.
And I forgot it at work, so...
No chapter tonight >.<
2018-08-02 04:16:18 +0000 UTC
View Post
Only one tonight, because the next chapter is Tessa's last speech, and I want to get it just right.
With all of the people and positions of power talked to, things settled into a nice rhythm for Randidly. For over a month, his days neatly fit into a schedule. He worked on metal and forging in the morning, trained new steelworkers after that, then handled the affairs of Erickson Steel before lunch. Afterward, he did some combat sparring with Tatiana, Tykes, or Dinesh.
...
2018-08-01 05:08:07 +0000 UTC
View Post
They settled in a small tea house in the largest border town in the Spriggit branch. Around them, Spriggits talked quietly with White Hunters and a strange lizardman style creature that seemed to be some descendant of the monster race that was rather populous in the area. The server didn’t bat an eye at either of their appearances, although there weren’t any real humans in the area. They were too large to be spriggit, and too… harmless looking to be descended from the monster race...
2018-07-30 05:49:52 +0000 UTC
View Post
“Senator Firefly that it is very important to choose the location of a discussion. If you do so, you win the discussion,” Neveah said matter of factly as they walked calmly through the apple orchard that sat on the hill of the bustling city that the Orchard was becoming.
Randidly smiled wryly as he used Plant Dominance to detach an apple directly above his hand. It fell quickly and he snatched it out of the air. After a bite, Randidly grimaced and pushed some Aether into the a...
2018-07-30 05:37:16 +0000 UTC
View Post
Alumuran sat in the basement, feeling the sweat gather underneath his short shaven hair and trickle downwards, across his nose. This room was far too hot, but Alumuran didn’t have any will to complain; this was his lot in life. Although he was chosen to be given great power, that power was a curse. He had lost his individuality to the power, and become solely a tool.
That was what it meant to be the Heretic of the Unity Church.
But today was a relatively good day because t...
2018-07-30 05:34:37 +0000 UTC
View Post
Regina Northwind sat in the chair, staring up at the ceiling.
“...there are times where the function of the individual is anecdotal to the current eventualities in a way that encourages others to imitate. Other times, the very presence of the individual at the pinnacle of the known world will act as a dampening agent that prevents the likely and necessary progress that so happily results from humans left to their own devices.
“It is a matter of availab...
2018-07-27 06:46:18 +0000 UTC
View Post
The first thing Randidly did after talking with everyone and setting things up was take a nap. It had been… quite a while since he had slept. His Vitality made it completely voluntary. And even afterward, as he opened his eyes, he didn’t feel truly rested.
But he did feel clear. A lot of the build-up of frustrations and tension drained out of him, leaving him ready for the day. Not so ready that he wanted to accompany Tatiana to meet with a lawyer and an accountant to handle t...
2018-07-27 06:43:52 +0000 UTC
View Post
Today has just been a rough week for me. Sorry guys.
On another note, thanks to everyone who participated in the contest. I underestimated the amount of entries. Finished going through them all, now ranking them. Results should come out tomorrow as well.
2018-07-26 04:40:54 +0000 UTC
View Post
It is a citizen’s duty to view those who hold their lives as high walls before the ferocity and chaos of nature as commendable and virtuous. It follows, then that those who may more triumphantly innoculate humanity from any and all savage Systems deserve further praise. The organic conclusion we come to is that heroism of any one person, due to history and circumstances, shines thusly because it must be so. But that oh so desirable light occasionally ascends to a degree that it be...
2018-07-25 05:32:56 +0000 UTC
View Post
The Headquarters of the Unity Church was in the Northwest quarter of Zone 1, which was by far the least populated location in the Zone. Or at least, it had been. Over the past several months, thousands of people had been moved into the multiple refugee shelters the Unity Church had sponsored in the areas, which had been a boom to the population numbers.If they had wanted to, they could likely successfully petition Congress to increase the amount of Senators that area received.
“...
2018-07-25 05:26:52 +0000 UTC
View Post
No chapters tonight. Just didn't like the plot of this arc enough. I really want to do it right, because I feel like Tessa's point is an important one, and the payoff will probably be cool. But the pieces didn't fall right.
I'll try again tomorrow.
Oh, and I'm going through the entries. Jesus, you guys are creative. But there are so many xD.
The contest results will probably come out with royalroad on wednesday.
2018-07-23 03:42:17 +0000 UTC
View Post
Hank and Thaddeus found themselves standing outside of an old junkyard, with rusted cars standing piled on top of each other in tall columns. Large heaps of scrap metal and trash formed small hills that gave the area something like a skyline. It seemed to have been a relatively big place before the System arrived, a hub of industrial trash and the rotting remnants of technology.
“Jesus, you take me to the weirdest places,” Thaddeus said, fiddling with his plasma pistol. “Fig...
2018-07-21 17:40:49 +0000 UTC
View Post
Friday's chapters, a little late. Yesterday was my first day off in a while, haha. I never want to edit while drunk.
Commander Kimmen noticed her first, and his gaze was sharp as he reviewed her. It was dificult to keep walking forward when his displeasure at noticing her presence was palpable enough to thicken the air into molasses. But in a strange way, it also gave her a jolt of motivation; it was clear that Commander Kimmen understood who she was, and what ...
2018-07-21 17:38:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
Throwback POV.
Also, I'll be releasing two chapters tomorrow to make up for missing yesterday.
...also also, this was so much fun to write xD.
...among the precious and universal endowments of humanity, there are two which persist even in the face of social, economic, and metaphysical Systems which so routinely insist otherwise: that all of Humanity was created equal; and that the architecture and growth of vocations and talent...
2018-07-20 03:34:45 +0000 UTC
View Post
Sorry for no post yesterday, personal things got in the way. But I have decided to have a brief side arc right now, probably 5 or so chapters. 587 is the first of that, and I also want to do a few more Randidly things.
All of this is to give a better idea of how life in the Zones are when you are not Randidly Ghosthound.
Probably 600 will be in Shal's world, however!
Ghost folded his incorporeal hands. “Defending the Zone a...
2018-07-20 03:29:34 +0000 UTC
View Post
Just one tonight. I've been going back and forth how many chapters I want during this down time, and don't have an outline for what happens next. I'll decide tomorrow.
The Drowned Man gurgled unpleasantly, tossing the mush that was Father Foster’s body and Thea’s remnants on the ground. The Obsidian Duke and the Undying Hero gathered around, peering down at the remains. Although he wasn’t a Nemesis like the rest of them, Thea believed that the Undying Hero deser...
2018-07-18 04:55:14 +0000 UTC
View Post
Hey all,
In the interest of clarifying some in the last four chapters, I added a bit of text to the scenes. Not enough to change the outcomes, but it shifted the character of what happened.
For example, I made it more obvious that in my mind, Randidly's real struggle in the fight was a mental decision. I also added a bit more detail to the image. Etc.
I'll be back with some wrap up and explanation chapters tomorrow!
2018-07-17 03:49:12 +0000 UTC
View Post
Chrysanthemum roared as Randidly turned to attack Thea once more. She still hadn’t recovered from being struck by his previous move. However now, he was out for blood. Strike after strike rained down on her. The whole while, Randidly didn’t breath. He couldn’t. It was an existential dread that was squeezing him. The fear that he would get in the habit of killing people who got in the way of his vision in the world. And yet…
To him, it seemed that a world where these ...
2018-07-16 07:02:54 +0000 UTC
View Post
A towering light filled the sky as Arbor erupted. It wasn’t just the leaves that were burning, but all of Arbor was burning. People screamed as the flames caught the spider silk cathedral and the entire thing went up.
But Kiersty stood stock still, staring upwards at Arbor. To her, these flames held no heat. But she held her breath, unsure of what this meant. She could feel his energy, rising and rising and rising some more… but this…
It was too much, she realized. Whatever h...
2018-07-16 07:01:16 +0000 UTC
View Post
Hank had to roll again to the side as one of the suits swiped at him. Several more moved to corral him, but they were having a hard time of it. His repeater fired constantly, shots glancing off armor and barely damaging their defenses at all. But there were a few cracks, and some strange colors of blood pumping out of wounds where Hank had been able to cluster several bullets.
His hands flashed mechanically as he reloaded and began to fire once more, never stopping his movements. ...
2018-07-16 06:58:54 +0000 UTC
View Post
What a late night. But I wanted to get everything to a more settled spot.
Randidly eyes remained fixed on Thea. The first thing he noticed was the coldness in her gaze, that was far from the Thea he had known. How long had it even been…? Seven months? And now, her eyes… They seemed still and dead to Randidly.
The second thing Randidly noticed was that she had the whiff about her of the Creature’s Aether. He gritted his teeth as his eyes...
2018-07-16 06:56:25 +0000 UTC
View Post
Hank looked up at the school in front of him. It was silent, as it was only a scant few minutes past dawn. But it bore the signs of recent use; this school would be in session in a few hours. And yet his feet insisted this was where he needed to be.
It was in a rich suburb in the South of East Providence. Hank turned to his two companions. Thaddeus’ expression was serious. Ezekiel looked like he had just seen a ghost.
“This is it,” Hank grunted. “Say your prayers and...
2018-07-13 04:52:40 +0000 UTC
View Post
Obviously, I couldn't have only one battle happening at once. Because that's just not me.
Also, apologies if I have some homophone mistakes. I caught a lot, but that makes me think I missed more.
The aisles were filled with people standing in solemn rows. The stared upwards, towards the main body of Arbor, burning brightly in the vaulting cathedral. Small motes of ash drifted downwards from the branches, catching the light like snow.
Kierst...
2018-07-13 04:51:36 +0000 UTC
View Post
“I don’t blame the people, it is just unfortunate that your property was affected by it,” Maude said after she had made tea and they drank it across from each other.
Randidly took a sip. “This is because… you are a believer in the Unity Church.”
“That is correct. Well, they dislike me because of that. But recently, the Unity Church released a series of rules for its followers… One of those rules was to refuse the touch of the System whenever possible unless y...
2018-07-12 04:24:07 +0000 UTC
View Post
Scumbag Puddles: "I'm gonna focus on ending the arc in two days"
Immediately gets carried away on random tangents.
But hey, I like these two a lot better.
So like an extra day to finish this arc.
“You don’t have to come with me,” Hank grunted. The air inside his head seemed to buzz. There was a heartbeat to the air around him… it seemed to scream that something was wrong with the world. With th...
2018-07-12 04:19:58 +0000 UTC
View Post
No chapters tonight. I wrote out the scene I had planned in the past, which had Randidly's grandpa kidnapping while Randidly used that token military cook to defeat them, but I just got tired of it. It felt like filler.
All that to say, I am going to cut that out and focus on the interesting parts. The arc should be over in two days, and then we will be on to Shal's world.
I was actually kinda bummed because I saw someone guess the trick of this arc in a comment. But we will soldier onwa...
2018-07-11 03:48:26 +0000 UTC
View Post
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to attack you. But I think… I think I noticed when you got out of the city yesterday that you weren’t who you said you were.” Tatiana said after a brief pause.
Randidly nodded slowly. That explained the tenseness earlier.
Abruptly, Tatiana looked up at him. “What’s your real name then? And my Woman’s Intuition is running at full bore, so I’ll sense if you are lying.”
Randidly’s smile widened. “Woman’s Intuition? Is ...
2018-07-09 06:00:50 +0000 UTC
View Post
“What the fuck,” Randidly hissed, staring up at the screen in front of him. Father Foster was calmly giving a speech about the importance of unity in the face of adversity. What was apparently a live speech. Father Foster was currently emphasizing how important this was, considering the recent attempt on President Howard’s life.
It was already a bad day. Randidly had checked his Level earlier today and swore violently when he realized he was less than 10% from Leveling to 25...
2018-07-09 05:58:42 +0000 UTC
View Post
Tatiana shivered, abruptly cold. She slowly opened her eyes, and then guiltily looked around. It was almost dusk. Shit, she must have fallen asleep and the sun and just sat here the entire time, when there was so much-
Viking. Baloo Erickson.
The name sprung to her mind, tied with multiple warring armies of emotions. Each demanded the other capitulate, but both were valid emotions that Tatiana couldn’t do anything about. She had to survive with both running around...
2018-07-09 05:56:42 +0000 UTC
View Post
